Of Westway, Creggan.
Son of Annie and ? McKinney, eldest of 10. He had 6 brothers and 3 sisters.
William was one of the 13 men killed at Bloody Sunday (a 14th man died later as a result of injuries received there), when British security forces opened fire on unarmed civilians at a civil rights march in Derry.
Employed as a compositor for the Derry Journal, he was also a keen amateur photographer, and had enjoyed taking photographs and working with movie cameras since his childhood. He developed his photos up in his room in the dark after the family were asleep. By all accounts he enjoyed his job immensely but he also dreamed of being a professional photographer, perhaps one day for the Journal. In addition to his interest in photography and super 8 films, he loved to play the accordion. He is remembered as highly intelligent, with a respectable appearance a mild disposition, and a general calm and quiet demeanour.
At the most recent inquiry, the following memories were among those recalled of him:
'Willie had a great sense of family and family responsibility. He'd managed to save quite a bit of money, but a considerable portion of his wages were given to his mother and father. His interest in film led him to erect makeshift cinema screens at home using sheets to show Mickey Mouse films to his younger brothers and sisters. Events like this and the record player he bought for the family were rare and unusual treats in the Derry City of the 1960s and 1970s. Willie's job with the Derry Journal also allowed him to get free tickets to dances in town for his teenage sisters. From these descriptions it is not difficult to see why his family adored him, and his brothers and sisters still say he was a great brother.' (from Saville Inquiry Transcript, day 48, 21/11/2000)
Willie had been filming the march at Magilligan the week before the Civil Rights march in Derry, and one of Willie's brothers remembered at one point on the Derry march seeing Willie filming the march from a tree.
He was shot in the back by soldiers as he ran; witnesses have said that he was going to help another victim at the time.
Son of Annie and ? McKinney, eldest of 10. He had 6 brothers and 3 sisters.
William was one of the 13 men killed at Bloody Sunday (a 14th man died later as a result of injuries received there), when British security forces opened fire on unarmed civilians at a civil rights march in Derry.
Employed as a compositor for the Derry Journal, he was also a keen amateur photographer, and had enjoyed taking photographs and working with movie cameras since his childhood. He developed his photos up in his room in the dark after the family were asleep. By all accounts he enjoyed his job immensely but he also dreamed of being a professional photographer, perhaps one day for the Journal. In addition to his interest in photography and super 8 films, he loved to play the accordion. He is remembered as highly intelligent, with a respectable appearance a mild disposition, and a general calm and quiet demeanour.
At the most recent inquiry, the following memories were among those recalled of him:
'Willie had a great sense of family and family responsibility. He'd managed to save quite a bit of money, but a considerable portion of his wages were given to his mother and father. His interest in film led him to erect makeshift cinema screens at home using sheets to show Mickey Mouse films to his younger brothers and sisters. Events like this and the record player he bought for the family were rare and unusual treats in the Derry City of the 1960s and 1970s. Willie's job with the Derry Journal also allowed him to get free tickets to dances in town for his teenage sisters. From these descriptions it is not difficult to see why his family adored him, and his brothers and sisters still say he was a great brother.' (from Saville Inquiry Transcript, day 48, 21/11/2000)
Willie had been filming the march at Magilligan the week before the Civil Rights march in Derry, and one of Willie's brothers remembered at one point on the Derry march seeing Willie filming the march from a tree.
He was shot in the back by soldiers as he ran; witnesses have said that he was going to help another victim at the time.
Of Westway, Creggan.
Son of Annie and ? McKinney, eldest of 10. He had 6 brothers and 3 sisters.
William was one of the 13 men killed at Bloody Sunday (a 14th man died later as a result of injuries received there), when British security forces opened fire on unarmed civilians at a civil rights march in Derry.
Employed as a compositor for the Derry Journal, he was also a keen amateur photographer, and had enjoyed taking photographs and working with movie cameras since his childhood. He developed his photos up in his room in the dark after the family were asleep. By all accounts he enjoyed his job immensely but he also dreamed of being a professional photographer, perhaps one day for the Journal. In addition to his interest in photography and super 8 films, he loved to play the accordion. He is remembered as highly intelligent, with a respectable appearance a mild disposition, and a general calm and quiet demeanour.
At the most recent inquiry, the following memories were among those recalled of him:
'Willie had a great sense of family and family responsibility. He'd managed to save quite a bit of money, but a considerable portion of his wages were given to his mother and father. His interest in film led him to erect makeshift cinema screens at home using sheets to show Mickey Mouse films to his younger brothers and sisters. Events like this and the record player he bought for the family were rare and unusual treats in the Derry City of the 1960s and 1970s. Willie's job with the Derry Journal also allowed him to get free tickets to dances in town for his teenage sisters. From these descriptions it is not difficult to see why his family adored him, and his brothers and sisters still say he was a great brother.' (from Saville Inquiry Transcript, day 48, 21/11/2000)
Willie had been filming the march at Magilligan the week before the Civil Rights march in Derry, and one of Willie's brothers remembered at one point on the Derry march seeing Willie filming the march from a tree.
He was shot in the back by soldiers as he ran; witnesses have said that he was going to help another victim at the time.
Son of Annie and ? McKinney, eldest of 10. He had 6 brothers and 3 sisters.
William was one of the 13 men killed at Bloody Sunday (a 14th man died later as a result of injuries received there), when British security forces opened fire on unarmed civilians at a civil rights march in Derry.
Employed as a compositor for the Derry Journal, he was also a keen amateur photographer, and had enjoyed taking photographs and working with movie cameras since his childhood. He developed his photos up in his room in the dark after the family were asleep. By all accounts he enjoyed his job immensely but he also dreamed of being a professional photographer, perhaps one day for the Journal. In addition to his interest in photography and super 8 films, he loved to play the accordion. He is remembered as highly intelligent, with a respectable appearance a mild disposition, and a general calm and quiet demeanour.
At the most recent inquiry, the following memories were among those recalled of him:
'Willie had a great sense of family and family responsibility. He'd managed to save quite a bit of money, but a considerable portion of his wages were given to his mother and father. His interest in film led him to erect makeshift cinema screens at home using sheets to show Mickey Mouse films to his younger brothers and sisters. Events like this and the record player he bought for the family were rare and unusual treats in the Derry City of the 1960s and 1970s. Willie's job with the Derry Journal also allowed him to get free tickets to dances in town for his teenage sisters. From these descriptions it is not difficult to see why his family adored him, and his brothers and sisters still say he was a great brother.' (from Saville Inquiry Transcript, day 48, 21/11/2000)
Willie had been filming the march at Magilligan the week before the Civil Rights march in Derry, and one of Willie's brothers remembered at one point on the Derry march seeing Willie filming the march from a tree.
He was shot in the back by soldiers as he ran; witnesses have said that he was going to help another victim at the time.
